Dragon's Ghost
by forgottenwind
Summary: There is a fourth egg that survived Galbatorix. But it will only hatch for someone who is not born of Alagaësia nor the blood of the elves. Enter Akino, a reluctant martial artist, brought here by the Ra'zac to become a Rider. She just wants to go home.
1. The Fourth Dragon

Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon or any of its characters. They belong to Christopher Paolini.

There is another Dragon egg, besides the three. The only thing about this egg, it's perfectly white. The Varden believe that in the egg is a strong if odd dragon. The other dragons, Thorn and Saphira, both agree that the egg will only hatch for a person who doesn't belong to their world. A girl, a person who knows something about the Eragon series but isn't too much of a fan, gets pulled into Eragon's world by the Ra'zac. The otherworldly egg hatches for her and she is swept into the war. She must choose between the Varden and loyalty to Galbatorix. Both sides promise to bring her home but which side should she trust?

* * *

Akino sighed as she got off the bus. She knew she would be too early for school, like always. Only last week she had come into school fifteen minutes early. This was later than her usual hour and a half. She looked around at the empty schoolyard before making her way into the building. A lot of people at school called her a nerd, a brown-noser, a teacher's pet, and all of those names. She just liked showing up for school really early and watch as the school filled up with students. It always made her feel glad that she wasn't going to be late like the others or wondering if she would have enough time to finish her homework before first period.

"Akino!" It was Meai, possibly one of the few people that understood her strange ways. More than others at least. "Akino! I totally just finished Eldest last night! Can you believe that Murtagh took Zar'roc away from Eragon? I don't care if Thorn and Misery go together. Zar'roc was Eragon's first! Akino, are you even listening?" Akino had been writing the latest notes on the board into her notebooks.

"Um…yeah. Right. Murtagh's bad for taking Zar'roc from Eragon. Who's Eragon again?" At Meai's prodding, she had read Eragon. Because once she has read the first book of a series, she needed to finish the series, she had read Eldest as well. She found herself reading more books on dragons and wished that she had a dragon. She knew that the wish would never come true but that was the fun part of the wish. It would never come true.

* * *

Eragon watched as the Varden scuttled around. He and Roran were about to go to Helgrind to save Katrina. It had taken some persuasion of Nasuada to allow for Eragon to go.

"You ready, Eragon?" Eragon turned to see his brother standing there looking happier than he had before. "We're going to save Katrina from the Ra'zac." Eragon nodded and the two of them began walking out of the city.

"Eragon Shadeslayer!" The two young men stopped and turned to find Horst standing there. "Nasuada and Arya tell you that there might be another dragon egg out there. A _fourth_ egg." Eragon was immediately interested.

"Has the location of the egg been identified?" Horst shook his head, waving them into a dark alley. "We need to find it before Galbatorix's forces do." Horst nodded.

"Which is exactly why Nasuada wanted me to tell you. She hopes that you will find it on your way to Helgrind."

"_Perhaps it will be easier to simply seek out the egg first and then go to Helgrind."_ Saphira spoke using Eragon's mouth.

"NO! That is not an option!" Roran pounded on the nearby wall. "We don't know if they will keep Katrina alive that long! We need to go rescue her now!" Horst put a hand on Roran's shoulder.

"I know how you feel, Roran but if Galbatorix gets that egg I don't think we're in for a nice surprise." Roran slid to the ground, shaking with his feelings raging inside him. At last he nodded.

"Then it's decided. We're going after the egg."

* * *

"A fourth egg?" Murtagh stormed through Galbatorix's castle. The news had just reached him that there was another egg. This one had escaped Galbatorix's clutches but how? This question plagued his mind. How could an egg as immobile as it was have escaped Galbatorix? Had someone predicted what Galbatorix would do and had carried an egg away?

_We shouldn't dwell on such things. Only on what Galbatorix told us to do. We must find that egg before any of the Varden agents do. Perhaps we should ask the Ra'zac?_ Thorn, his red dragon, glanced at his Rider.

"Out of the question. Galbatorix told us not to disturb the Ra'zac. They're performing some sort of ritual." Murtagh sighed and climbed onto Thorn's back. "We're going egg hunting."

* * *

Akino sighed as she closed her book. She had finished her homework and just in time too. She got off the train and began to walk to the dojo. This was how her days were. First thing in the morning was her five-hour school day, then she would hop on the express train and spend four hours at the dojo learning all of the martial arts that she had signed up for. After that, she headed back to school for an hour for her acting club. Since she went from school to the dojo and back to school, she kept her kendo gear in her school and gym locker. She took Karate, Tai chi, and fencing as well. On weekends, she would head to the dojo, practice those four points on her program and then go to the archery field that her parents ran and practice that as well. She was serious in everything she did. Not the least of which was that she hated to be late for anything.

"Akino!" Keri was there. He was yet another who perhaps understood her better than most, though why he always insisted on joining her on her way back to school was beyond her. "You're early as usual."

"Of course. It would hurt my perfect record of being early." Akino smirked before moving putting on her armor. Keri shook his head, smiling. He put his helmet on and waited for her on the arena area. The teacher shook his head at his two star pupils. They were always so eager to begin, especially Akino. Akino stepped onto the battleground and took her stance. Her stance was one of the things that interested her teacher most of all. There were many vital spots left open and seemingly undefended. The bamboo sword wavered in her hand as though it would be easy to knock it from her hands. Her teacher knew, just as Keri did, that her stance was simply a ruse used to trick her opponents into overconfidence. She always found unconventional ways to fight. In fact, she never had a plan when she fought. Her teacher smiled as Keri made the first strike.

"That girl is a natural born warrior. A shame she wasn't born during a battle era." Her teacher couldn't help but feel pride as the sparring match began to heat up.

Akino was on her way home, this time with all her gear. Including her kendo and fencing gear. Her Karate outfit was in her bag. Everything needed to be washed. Her mind began to organize her chores. She looked up and saw two figures in dark cloaks. They turned towards her and she stepped back but no more. Her legs were frozen to the ground and wouldn't move. Her hand was on her shinai (bamboo sword) but she couldn't raise it high enough to defend herself. They reached for her as she passed out. The last thought in her mind was

"I forgot my bag at the dojo."


	2. Akino vs Murtagh

Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon and I've never seen the movie. The descriptions of the characters are from pictures I've seen.

Due to the fact that more than fifteen people have asked me to continue this story, I shall. THAT'S MY ONLY JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS. (not counting the fact that my buddy says that if I don't continue, he'll steal all of my wall scrolls) Well, enjoy.

* * *

When Akino woke up, the first fact she registered was that it was dark. A stench filled the room but it was familiar. It was her armor and her bamboo sword. The stench was from not having washed the gear properly. She must have been too tired the night before. It wasn't the first time. Sometimes, the amount of work she did caught up with her and she needed the sleep. Of course, there was school. It would be time for her to go to school. She rolled over and fell onto the floor. She groaned, opening her eyes. _This floor isn't mine._ The thought passed through her head quickly. It was too neat. She could actually see the wood flooring. Her floor was covered with papers. Articles that explained different steps and moves, pictures of the latest weapons, and the last school assignments she had finished. This floor was plain, only the lines where the wood was placed next to each other. Shaking her head, Akino stood up. She already knew that this wasn't her room. Just from the floor. The walls were decorated with pictures of calming landscapes and pictures of people enjoying themselves in some far off paradise. The bed she had been sleeping on most definitely wasn't hers. The bedding was made of down and the embroidery was fancy. Everything in Akino's room had a single theme. Martial arts and simplicity. This room was made for some royal guest or important person. The large window showed that it was dark. She had slept through the entire day. She looked around and saw her bag in the corner. It hadn't been opened but her fencing sword was gone. They had left her shinai behind. Well whoever they were. She opened the bag and the smell of metal and sweat permeated the room. She began to wipe the moisture off the armor with the blanket on the bed. The casing of it was a perfect absorber and polisher. She heard the door opening and the sound of someone gagging.

"Judging from the stink, our guest has woken up." Looking up, Akino saw a dark haired guy that looked about her age. Her eyes narrowed. This could have been one of those that had kidnapped her.

"Where's my sword?" The guy simply smirked. She balled her hands into fists. "Where is it?" On her exhale, she relaxed. It wasn't worth her time. The guy grinned.

"Good of you to decide to not fight. You probably sense that I'm stronger than you." He smirked at her arrogantly. Akino gave a scoff.

"No. I've just decided that you're not worth my time. I have better things to do." She returned to scrubbing her kendo armor. There was no reason for her to continue their conversation without first finishing the chores she was supposed to do. She turned her back on him, feeling that he was a bit offended by her words. She heard his footsteps stop just behind her.

"Are you using the bedding to scrub that disgusting armor?" He seemed interested in her work not that she cared much for it.

"It's better to use than anything else in this stupid room. I'd rather just go home now." She finished with her last piece of armor. Packing away the armor back into the duffel bag, she slung it over her shoulder. She picked up the shinai and began to head out of the room. The black-haired man stepped in her way.

"Sorry. My orders were to keep you in here until we were ready to go. The Ra'zac have chosen you for a reason, lady, and His Majesty Gallabatorix has requested that you come along with my group. You are to be the newest Rider in Gallabatorix's army." Akino bit her fist, thinking hard.

"Gallabatorix…Gallabatorix…Who's that? Sounds familiar." The young man looked at her suspiciously. Who in this world had not heard of Gallabatorix? It was not possible. Unless what the Ra'zac had said was true. They had been able to find a prospective Rider from another world where they shouldn't exist except in a person's imagination. Then again, anyone dressed like the girl in front of him must be from another world. Akino was dressed in a black hoodie and wore black sweatpants. The scarf around her neck was bright orange as though taunting someone to kill her.

"Gallabatorix will be your Master after you've gained your dragon. He will help you and your dragon become powerful. Until then, you will listen to me. My name is Murtagh, but you will address me as sir. Are you listening to me?" Akino had been trying to sidestep the black-haired man to get past him. She stopped and looked at him.

"Murtagh…That name sounds familiar too." She looked at him and thought a little bit. "Oh yeah, Meia was going on about how some guy named Murtagh took some sword from his little brother Eri-something-or-other and how much she hated him for it but that was just a book and Meia's just a stupid fanatical fangirl," Akino mused. Murtagh looked at the girl. Everything she said seemed to catch him off guard. A book about how he had taken Zar'roc from Eragon? What writer had been able to see that? They had been in the middle of the Burning Plains. He looked at the girl again only to find that she wasn't there. The door behind him was open and there was no doubt that she had left through it. He dashed out of the room.

_It seems we have a problem, Thorn._

_You shouldn't have been caught off guard like that. The Ra'zac did tell you she was from another world._

_Yeah. She is._

_Are you starting to like that girl? That'll be dangerous unless she joins us._

"I'm not and she will. I'm sure of it." Murtagh saw some of the guards move uncertainly. He should have been watching the girl but here he was wandering the hallway. One of them looked like they had something to report. "Do you need something?" A soldier coughed.

"We came to inform you that the preparations are ready. His Majesty Gallabatorix says that he believes that Thorn is ready to carry two people." Murtagh nodded.

"I will be leaving shortly." Another guard stepped forward.

"Sir, do you need help bringing the Ra'zac's Rider?" Murtagh growled and faced the soldier who had spoken.

"Are you implying that I'm not capable of escorting a disconcerted girl from one point to another? The girl doesn't even know she's in Gallabatorix's castle let alone how to get out of it."

"Oh that? That's simple. Just take the nearest window and jump." The guards and Murtagh jumped and turned around. There was Akino standing on the outside of the nearest window. "Decided to take the window instead of the door. Looked easier than the hallway." She grinned jumping off that window to the next one. "Yeah, the whole girl locked up in a tower thing wasn't so glamorous but I love the architect who designed this place." Another window jump with Murtagh and the guards trying to keep up. "Windows wind down all the way to the wall. I've never done this without a cable either. That'll make it fun." She jumped again but this time she wasn't at the next window Murtagh stuck his head out to find that the girl was two floors down.

_Thorn, we might need some support from the air._

_I'm coming._

There was a sound of rushing air as Thorn dove to catch the girl. There was a yell of anger.

"Cheaters!" Thorn appeared holding Akino by the hoodie. "Calling your dragon is totally unfair." Even though she said it, it was as though she was in awe of the dragon. "Just wait until I get my dragon. You'll be sorry and as soon as we beat you up we're going home." Thorn dropped Akino on the floor. Bag and all. Her shinai was strapped to her back in such a fashion that she could pull it out when she needed to. Before her hand reached up to grab it, the soldiers held her to the ground. Murtagh stood over her.

"We don't take deserters so lightly around here." He drew his sword. "But at least we know you're eager to leave." Murtagh struck with his sword. Akino's head moved away at the last second so that he missed. He nodded. "At least you're not completely hopeless."

"Of course I'm not. I'm nothing like you." With that Akino ran down the tower steps. Gravity pulled on her weight and it helped her out a lot. She heard Murtagh yelling orders and heard the dragon take off. Murtagh had been right about one thing. She didn't know her way around the castle and with her luck, she would be caught again. Despite this, she grinned. She hadn't believed it before but the dragon had proved it. Her grin grew wider.

_This is a really wierd dream._


	3. Akino's first encounter

Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon nor any of the characters that everyone knows. I only own Akino and her dragon, whose appearance has yet to be seen…I should fix that.

Well, thanks for patiently waiting. At the prodding and poking of my sister who became a fan of Eragon after she read this, I am going to continue. (It's also just to stop her from poking me but don't tell her that.) To make up for all the time you've all so patiently waited, I'll cram this so it's like a double chapter.

* * *

Akino tugged half-heartedly at the chains that bound her. After the thirtieth escapade, Murtagh had decided to bind her arms with rope. Of course, it was a simple thing for Akino to slip out of it with a few tricks she had learned from Keri. His dad was an escape artist so Keri had learned a bit.

Murtagh watched Akino warily. It seemed to him that she had finally given up. He would have believed it too if it weren't for the fact that she had seemed like she had given up after every time. He watched her tugging at the chains. He wasn't taking any chances.

"I wouldn't have used chains if a certain someone didn't keep escaping," Murtagh said sympathetically. Akino scoffed.

"If a certain someone weren't so incompetent, I wouldn't be able to escape." Murtagh growled at the girl.

"Do you try to make me kill you?" Akino smirked at him.

"I doubt you would be able to." Thorn grabbed the chain as Murtagh let go to draw his sword.

_She's taunting you Murtagh. If it weren't for me she would have escaped. _Akino sighed.

"At least one of you isn't hopeless." She pulled at the chains. "Are we leaving now or not? This castle is nice and big and I'd love to play hide-n-seek with you two and all the guards, but I've got to get home. Hey, put me down!" Murtagh had swung her over his shoulder. He put her on Thorn and got on behind her. "You could've just told me to get on."

"Then you'd probably slip off on the other side and try to run." Akino clapped her hands.

"See? You can learn." Murtagh frowned.

_Thorn, do some flying tricks to scare her. She deserves it._ The dark-haired man frowned as he felt his dragon's amusement. _What? _

_You seem to be acting a bit childish if you ask me._

_Well I'm not asking you. Now take off._ Murtagh shifted as the girl moved over towards one side and Thorn flew off the ground. "Stop moving or else you'll fall!" He could feel her shudder as though she was repulsed. "Are you scared? This must be your first dragon ride after all."

"The way to a girl's heart is not by forcibly putting her on a dragon and then pretending to care about her feelings…at least not for me, though if Eri-Eri-Airy-Airhead did that to Meia, she'd probably flip and fall straight off Saphira." Murtagh blinked amused.

"So you know the dragon but not her Rider's name? So do you know my name?" Akino nodded.

"Of course I do, Thorn's Rider." Akino nodded confidently. "It's…it's…hang on it'll come to me. You only gloated about it ninety-seven of the ninety eight times you caught me. I've got it! It's Murwig!"

* * *

Eragon rode Saphira, keeping Roran in his sight. There had been attacks as the trio made their way back to the Spine. Winter had just begun to sink in and the humans were glad for Saphira's warmth. The snow hadn't come yet but it made them even more aware of the upcoming problems.

"We don't even know where we're going to find the egg." Roran shivered and rubbed his arms.

"Saphira does, it seems." Eragon looked at his dragon. _You do know where it is right, Saphira?_

_It's close. It's on this mountain. It's really close…but it's strange._

_Strange?_

_It's an egg but it should know that we're looking for it. It should at least give me an answering call when I send a message to it._

_What are you getting instead?_

_It's telling me to go away and let it think. It's waiting for someone._

"Eragon?" The Rider looked at his brother. "Something wrong?

"It seems that this egg doesn't want to be found. So we'll have to look for it the old fashioned way." Roran sighed

"Just great, and Katrina might be dying." Roran suddenly fell headfirst onto the ground. "What's that?" A white rock jutted from the ground. It looked as though it were covered in the snow that had not fallen just yet. "That can't be it can it?"

_What do you think Saphira?_

_It's smaller than the other eggs, but it is the egg. Be careful. He's angry._ Sure enough, the egg was vibrating hotly. _He's crying._

_How can you tell it's male?_

_Only young males will try to attack despite their bindings. _Eragon picked it up. It was hard to hold onto the egg, but he managed to put the egg into one of their bags.

"Let's take this back to the Varden. They might have more information about Katrina and Helgrind."

_That was a short trip._

_Yes, Saphira, but now, we must deal with an angry egg._

_It wasn't waiting for just anyone or else it wouldn't have destroyed its guardians._

_It told you that?_

_It's threatening to destroy us._ Eragon blinked and looked at the bag that held the egg. What were they bringing into the world? Before he had time to think, a dragon's shadow flew over them and landed before them.

"Hey little brother. Long time no see." Eragon unsheathed his sword that he had gotten from the Varden's blacksmith. To his surprise, Murtagh turned from grinning sarcastically at him to pull someone off of Thorn.

* * *

Akino disliked the fact that they had been traveling for a few weeks with no idea why she was with them. "Hey, guy, ask Thorn where we're going." The dark-haired Rider growled.

"You could at least memorize my name, girl!"

"Why? You don't exactly call me by mine."

"I probably would if you'd tell me it." Akino sniffed.

"I only give my name to competent people. I don't believe you qualify."

"You infuriate me!" Akino smiled and clapped her hands.

"Good job, guy. You're starting to use big words. Thorn must be so proud of you." Murtagh turned in his seat.

_Don't let her get to you! She'll stop taunting you if you ignore her._

_But then she's going to sing!_

_Deal with it. I can't fly right with you two bickering on my back._ Sure enough, Akino began singing. That was something her parents had always told her not to do. She had the body of a martial artist but the musical voice of a tin can and iron nails scratching across a large chalkboard. Suddenly, she stopped. A voice echoed in her head.

_Where are you? I'm waiting. Someone's here! They're going to take me away! Where are you?_ Akino looked around and noticed a blue blur on the horizon.

"Omigosh! It's Saphira!" Murtagh jerked his head forward. Sure enough the blue dragon was ahead. That meant Eragon was nearby.

_There they are._

"Sweet, Saphira and that guy there. Mr. Wazzisname." A few minutes later, the three of them landed by Saphira, Eragon, and Roran. Murtagh greeted them and proceeded to pull her off Thorn. "I can get off by myself!"

"Then you'll run again."

"Tch…you've got no idea." Akino took a look at Eragon. She blinked before pointing at him accusingly. "I know you! I know you! I know you! You're…Er…Ear…errr…Saphira's Rider!" She turned to Roran. "And you, you're that sap who's stupid fiancée or wife or whatever got taken by the Ra'zac to Helgrind." Roran spluttered but before he responded she turned to Saphira. She bowed as she would to her sensei. "You are the blue dragon Saphira. Your guardian was some member of the elven royalty, who under duress sent you to Brom the storyteller at the village that your Rider lived in." Eragon frowned. Murtagh frowned as well.

"How is it you remember that old guy's name but not ours?" Roran stomped toward Akino.

"You! I don't know who you are but I won't let you insult Katrina! NO one insults her!" In a fit of rage, Roran aimed to punch her. As a reflex, she moved with his force, turning into the punch and then threw him forward, pinning him against the ground. Eragon charged forward.

"Roran!" Murtagh stood in his way, Zar'roc drawn as well.

"Sorry but she's occupied and while that happens, she won't escape."

"Hey! What's this?" The blood brothers turned. Akino was rummaging through Roran and Eragon's bags. She pulled out the egg. She blinked at it, before dropping it. "Ouch! It's hot!" Then the voice rang in her head again.

_Stupid now you've dropped me! _

"I'm not the talking egg here!" Eragon, Murtagh and Roran stared at the girl. Murtagh had to admit that this was the most rattled he'd seen her since he met her weeks ago.

_I suppose I should come out now,. Your incessant gibbering vibrates in the shell._

"Incessant? I'm not stuck in a capsule of calcium carbonate, enhanced further by calcite crystals to reduce brittleness." The dragons were just as confused as the Riders were.

"What are they talking about?" A crack appeared on the egg and it seemed as though something spilled out of it. A white dragon with snapping ruby eyes tumbled from the shells. Murtagh felt the shock that vibrated through Thorn.

_Thorn, what is it?_

_That's a real dragon but it's not at the same time._ Saphira and Thorn moved back from the hatchling. _He frightens me._

Akino stared at the hatchling.

"Nice entrance. What are you?" The hatchling hiccupped and the eyes of a martial artist and new hatchling met.

_I am a dragon and you are my Rider. I've been waiting for you._ Akino tilted her head to the side solemnly and smirked.

"Really? Sorry to disappoint but I'm just looking for a way home."


	4. Challenges

Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon…though sometimes I wish I did

Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon…though sometimes I wish I did.

Well here it is again. The wait was shorter this time but it was still kind of long. Akino's personality is a ton like a bunch of my friends so I was out doing research…er…yeah. Well, here it is.

* * *

"What a strange looking dragon." Eragon and Murtagh stared at the hatchling, each still pointing his sword at the other. He hiccupped and stared back at the brothers. Roran gaped at the dragon, unsure of what to do. Thorn and Saphira stared at the hatchling. He ignored everyone and everything but Akino. The Martial artist blinked.

"Wait a minute you're supposed to be like a baby right? So how can you speak?" The dragon's ruby eyes glittered amused.

_Now the human asks the important question. To be technical, I am older than those two over there. My egg was laid then left. That gave me time to think. I'm not sure how long. Still, I was found later and have been traveling ever since. My transporters might have been elfin but somehow humans got ahold of me. Then I learned human from them. After a few years they grew tiresome so I destroyed them. _Akino blinked. It was quite obvious that she was the only one who heard the hatchling.

"Well, do me a favor. Since you've got so much knowledge packed in that head of yours, how do I get home?" The hatchling shook his head.

_Finish the journey._

"What journey?" As far as she knew, she hadn't gone on any journey. The hatchling took a step toward her.

_The journey that you are on now. The one that you embarked on the moment you began to wish to go home. Touch my head. You must be my Rider. I will not accept anyone else._ Akino stepped back. From the story, the touch of a newly hatched dragon's hide left a painful mark on the person's hand. She glanced at Eragon and Murtagh's hand. Though they both wore gloves she was sure that the both of them had that mark. The mark of a true connection. She stepped back another step.

* * *

"I don't want it. Find someone else. If I am connected, I won't go back," the girl said shaking. The hatchling snuffled. Saphira and Thorn shifted nervously. They felt aggression beginning to pour from the hatchling. Murtagh felt himself being compelled to point Zar'roc at the dragon hatchling. His orders had been "find the egg, protect its Rider". To him, Akino looked scared, but not of the hatchling. Of something else something more than that. He didn't leave his spot just pointed his sword at the hatchling, ready to strike. He heard Eragon hiss and saw from the corner of his eye that his brother meant to strike him.

"Let's watch them first. My orders come before you, little brother." Eragon flinched and muttered something about being unrelated though they were bound by blood. An unimportant bit of information floated into his mind. Akino had been rambling about some crazed person named Meia and how that person was a crazy fangirl, whatever that was, but that wasn't the information. No, it was something much more trivial, childish even. Something he didn't mind making fun of Eragon for. "Tell me, Eragon, has that she-elf accepted you yet or are you still chasing after her like a lovesick fool?" Smiling, Murtagh took advantage of his brother's confusion to step between Akino and the hatchling. "Honorable hatchling…"

"Nice alliteration." The sarcastic voice that he had grown used to and hated sounded behind him.

"Quiet girl, don't you know I'm trying to help you?"

"I don't need help."

"That's not what your eyes said just now."

"So now you're a telepath?"  
"Eyes, girl, not mind. Yours is obviously full of holes."

"Well, at least I take the time to learn a person's name Murwig."

"That's not my name!"

"Shut up!" Akino directed that statement to the hatchling. "Fine if that's how you want it, I'll take it." Her dark brown, almost black eyes turned to Murtagh. "Give me your sword, Murwig." He narrowed his eyes.

"My name is Murtagh and why should I?" Akino's eyes narrowed as well.

"I don't care and I've just made a bet with that dragon." Before Murtagh had finished blinking in surprise, his hands grasped not Zar'roc's hilt, but the air. Akino lifted the sword and pointed it at the dragon.

"This is what you want? I'll take it." The hatchling hissed and shook out its wings.

_Fine. The deal is made. We will fight until I put the Rider's mark on you or you kill me._

Akino smirked and gripped the sword.

"I won't lose."


End file.
